The Secretary of State for Transport, the RT Hon. Heidi Alexander MP, visited Birmingham Airport (BHX) amidst a significant period of growth for the regional transport hub.
The visit completed a tour of the airport’s ongoing development works including enhanced baggage handling facilities, the newly configured international pier and wider terminal improvements including Next Generation Security. The visit came as Birmingham Airport celebrates having one of the highest recycling and reuse rates amongst UK airports.
Last year, in partnership with Bidvest Nooran and The Green Block, BHX became the first airport worldwide to implement a MSU to help sustainably process waste. The unit facilitates a targeted data-driven approach to waste management and has supported the airport in significantly exceeding previous sustainable commitments.
Having visited HS2’s Curzon Street prior to the airport, the visit to Birmingham gave both transport hubs and the Government an opportunity to discuss sustainable transport and wider West Midlands benefits when the region becomes better connected to the Capital. The long-awaited scheme will mean that Birmingham Airport becomes the equivalent of Zone 5 on the tube map, providing more choice and allowing passengers to reach BHX considerably quicker than some major London airports.
Commenting on the visit, Nick Barton, CEO of Birmingham Airport, said: “We were delighted to host the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander and it was an encouraging visit.
“The Transport Secretary was shown first-hand the record levels of investment going into the airport as, month on month, we achieve new records for growth. We are grateful she chose Birmingham Airport to visit and look forward to continued work with her and the Department.”
Speaking of her visit, Secretary of State and the Rt Hon, Heidi Alexander said: “We’re backing a more sustainable aviation industry and it’s fantastic to see Birmingham Airport leading the way, proving that environmental responsibility and operational excellence can go hand in hand.
“UK airports like Birmingham are not only hubs for travel but also key for driving regional growth and delivering our Plan for Change by creating jobs, boosting trade and powering up local economies.” Last week, BHX released its monthly figures for July, which saw over 1.4m passengers' transit through the hub.
The highest monthly number, ever seen for the airport.
